The present invention relates to a sealing device for enclosures of the Faraday cage type. This device, of the knife seal type, serves for sealing, against electromagnetic waves and electric currents, the junction between two parts one of which comprises an orifice and the other of which comprises a panel for closing the orifice. For this purpose, a sort of metal knife, also called saber, integral with one of the parts is intended to come into contact with a flexible metal seal, integral with the other part, along a closed line which surrounds the opening.
It is known in the prior art to use as a seal a flexible rubber rod surrounded by a metal, tubular and knitted sheath. This seal is fixed to one of the two metal parts and is crushed or nipped between the two parts because of the knife and, through its sheath, ensures the electric contact between the two parts. Known devices comprising such seals have drawbacks in that fixing the seal, generally by bonding, is a delicate process which is tiresome if it must be changed since the knitted metal sheath is fragile and does not withstand well, at the position of contact with the knife, the repeated operations for opening and closing the orifice. Furthermore, radioelectric sealing at very high frequencies is mediocre.
Prior art devices also use as a seal so called American seals which are like combs cut out from metal sheets and whose wide teeth have, in the cross section of the comb, considerable curvature. This curvature provides the resilience of the teeth of the comb when the knife comes into contact while bearing perpendicularly to the plane of the comb, either by its edge in a movement perpendicular to the plane of the comb, or by one of its faces in a movement parallel to the plane of the comb. Known devices, which comprise these seals, have drawbacks in that the teeth of the comb are fragile and break, and replacement of the comb, which is generally screwed is a relatively long process.
It is also known to use seals formed of two strips bent along longitudinal bends. These seals are held in position by a sort of clip on the two opposite edges of a trench inside which a knife penetrates. Such an assembly is expensive because of its relative mechanical complexity.